Benedict Auer, O.S.B.
September 25, 1992
Kilian Malvey, O.S.B.

ABSTRACT


Deus Absconditus as Muse: An Approach to the Writing of Poetry as a Form of Contemplative Prayer for those who live with the Hidden God





The purpose of this dissertation is to study the writing of poetry as a creative process that transforms a poem into a form of contemplative prayer. Using scripture and theology, the dissertation creates a model and illustrates this model with the writing of a number of poets, both dead and living, for their insights into this act of writing as a form of contemplative prayer. And then using this model as a guide the author has created a collection of poems which focus on the Deus Absconditus and the passionate search for this Hidden God.

The dissertation starts with an overview that is an introduction to the various trends in spirituality today which utilize poetry in their search for God. It is an attempt to place this use of poetry within the context of the creative process. It looks at various poets and writers to see how they view what they do not in depth, but to focus on the many and varied ways in which poetry has been used.
The first chapter is a study of the use of poetry in the wisdom literature of the Bible. The emphasis is on Ecclesiastes and Psalms. These poetic works will set up a Biblical model for the search of the Hidden God. Chapter Two analyzes two early searches for the Hidden God: Gregory of Nyssa and The Cloud of Unknowing . Chapter Three studies the modern Jesuit theologian, Karl Rahner, and his concern for the use of poetry as a form of prayer. And Chapter Four is an attempt to define contemplation using the works of Thomas Merton. Chapter Five completes the first section of this thesis by creating a model using the first four chapters of the dissertation. The model combines the insights gathered from Scripture, the Medieval thinkers, Rahner, and Merton into a working model using the pilgrimage motif.

In Chapter Six, the author illustrates how Gerard Manley Hopkins and Rainer Maria Rilke used their poetry to search for the Hidden God and how this was a form of contemplative prayer for them. Hopkins as a Jesuit priest wrote his "Terrible Sonnets" despairing of the face of God, and Rilke sought God, but was always afraid he might find God. Chapter Seven continues to illustrate the model by studying three additional poets: Antonio Machado (Spain), Czeslaw Milosz (the Polish poet), and William Strafford (an Oregon poet). Using letters, journals, and poems, the author illustrates how they use their writing as a form of prayer.

The remainder of the thesis applies the model to the poetry of the author. Ninety original poems are included in the text. The poems all center around the Hiddenness of God. The conclusion points out that the model does not make Christian the poets, but rather allows one to see poetry as one form of pilgrimage toward the Hidden God.

The implications of this study are seen in the analysis of poetry as a form of prayer. Little has been done up to this point on this topic, and this work shows that poetry can be used as a form of contemplative prayer in the journey or pilgrimage toward a God who remains hidden. This dissertation includes some suggestions for spiritual direction, retreat work, and insights into the writing of poetry.